Bookholder



June 24, 194 7. '7 ANDERSON- 2,422,877

BOOK HOLDER Filed July 12, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 24, 1947. A D 2,422,877

BO0K HOLDER Filed July 12, 1944 ZSheets-Sheet 2 4 4 Inventor EDNA/2D fiflxvas/zsom,

WWW 5M5 Patented June 24, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BOOKHOLDER Edward H. Anderson, Chicago, Ill.

Application July 12,1944, Serial No. 544,558

2 Claims.

The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in book holders, and has for its primary object to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, a device of this character which is capable of substantially universal adjustment, whereby a book may be comfortably read from various positions while sittin in a chair or lying in bed.

Another very important object of the invention is to provide an adjustable holder of the aforementioned character which embodies unique means for securing the pages of an open book.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a book holder of the character described which will be comparatively simple in construction, strong, durable, highly efficient and reliable in use, compact, light in weight and which may be manufactured at low cost.

All of the foregoing and still further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a study of the following specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like characters of reference designate corresponding part throughout the several views, and wherein:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of a book holder constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is an elevational view of the device, taken at right angles to Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a view in front elevation of the book rest.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view in section, taken substantially on the line 44 of Figure 3. U

Figure 5 is a detail view in plan of the relatively wide lower member of the frame of the book rest.

Figure 6 is a detail view in elevation of one of the leaf-retaining fingers.

Figures 7 and 8 are detail views in side elevation of the crossed base bars.

Figure 9 is a view in back elevation of the book rest.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that the embodiment of the invention which has been illustrated comprises a base I of wood or other suitable material. The base I includes comparatively long and short crossed bars 2 and 3, respectively, having mounted beneath their end portions casters 4. Rising from the base I is a standard 5. Braces 6 are provided for the standard 5 on the base I.

Pivotally secured at 9 for horizontal swinging adjustment on the upper end of the standard 5 is an arm I9. Projecting longitudinally from the forward end of the arm I 0 is a threaded shank I. A hanger 8 is pivotally suspended from the shank 1. The shank l is engageable selectively in spaced openings ll provided therefor in the upper portion of the hanger 9 to facilitate vertical adjustment of said hanger. A hand nut I2 is threaded on the shank 1 for retaining the hanger 8.

Pivotally mounted for vertical swinging adjustm nt on the lower end portion of the hanger 8 is an arm 13. A book rest I4 is mounted for rotary and swinging adjustment on the free end" of the arm 13. I

The rest I4 includes a rectangular plate 15 of suitable dimensions and material. The plate I5 is pivotally secured at l6 for rotation on a disc l1. Secured on the back of the disc I! is a pair of spaced, opposed angular brackets 18. The free end portion of the arm I3 is pivotally secured at I9 between the brackets It.

The disc I! has formed therein diametrically opposite, arcuate slots 29. Bolts 2| in the plate I 5 are operable in the slots 29. Wing nuts 22 are threaded on the bolts 2| and engageable with the disc I! for securing the plate IS in adjusted position against rotation on said disc.

The book rest 14 still further includes a frame mounted on the marginal portions of the plate 15 and projecting forwardly therefrom. This frame comprises a pair of side member 23, a top member 24 and a comparatively wide bottom member 25 which projects forwardly beyond the members 23 and 24. The forwardly projecting portion of the member 25 has extending longitudinally thereinto from the ends thereof slots 26.

Bolts 21 are anchored in the corner portions of the plate l5 and project forwardly therefrom. Fingers 31 of resilient wood are loosely mounted at an intermediate point on the bolts 21. Mounted longitudinally on the wooden fingers 31 are auxiliary metallic fingers 29 in the form of leaf springs. The bolts 21 pass through the fingers 29. The fingers 29 are provided, on one end portion, with lateral tongues 39 which are bent around the fingers 31 for securing said fingers 29 in position thereon. Coiled springs 3! encircle the bolts 21 and are engaged beneath the fingers 31 for yieldingly resisting downward movement thereof.

It is thought that the operation of the device will be readily apparent from a consideration of the foregoing. Briefly, to mount a book, as at 32, on the rest M, the fingers 31, with the fingers 29 thereon, are swung upwardly to a substantially vertical position. When this is done, the slots 26 in the lower member 25 accommodate the pivoted end portions of the lower fingers 31. The book 32 is placed in position on the plate l5 and the fingers 31 are swung to operative position over the leaves 33 of said book. This is shown to advantage in Figure 5 of the drawings. Wing nuts 34 on the upper portions of the bolts 21 are then adjusted to clamp the fingers 31 on the book under the desired pressure. An additional grip may be had for assisting in holding the book under certain conditions by engaging some of the leaves 33 between the fingers 29 and 31.

The rest M with the book 32 therein may be pivotally adjusted to any desired position at I9 on the arm 13. By loosening the wing nuts 32, the plate l5 may be rotatably adjusted to any desired position on the disc I1. Various other adjustments may be readily had at 9, l and 35 in the supporting, structure for the book rest 14. It will thus be seen that a construction and arrangement is had which will permit virtually any adjustment to meet all conditions.

It isbelieved that the many advantages of a book holder constructed in accordance with the present invention will be readily understood, and although a preferred embodiment of the device is as illustrated and described, it is to be understood that changes in the detail of construction and in the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to which will fall Within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. A book holder of the character described comprising a base, a standard rising from said base, a horizontal arm pivotally mounted for horizontal swinging adjustment on the upper end of the standard, a hanger, said hanger having spaced openings therein, a shank projecting longitudinally from the free end of the arm and engageable selectively in the opening for pivotally and vertically adjustably mounting the hanger on the arm, an arm pivotally mounted for vertical swinging adjustment on the lower portion of the hanger, a plate mounted for rotary adjustment onthe free end of the second-named arm, and means for securing a book in position on said plate.

2. A book holder of the character described comprising a base, a single, vertical standard supported by said base, a horizontal arm pivotally mounted at its inner end upon the upper end of the standard, means securing said horizontal arm to said standard in adjusted position in a horizontal plane, said horizontal arm having an axially extending pivot at its outer end, a hanger having spaced openings at its upper end, selectively engageable upon said axial pivot and depending in a vertical plane from said horizontal arm, means to rigidly secure the hanger to the horizontal arm in adjustable positions, a second arm pivoted at the lower end of the hanger for movement relative to the hanger in an axial plane of the hanger, means adjustably and rigidly securing the second arm to the hanger and a book support attached to said second arm by a first means pivoted thereto for movement in an axial plane of the second arm and by a second meansassociated with said first means to eifect rotary adjustment of the support in planes perpendicular to aforementioned axial plane of the second arm.

EDWARD H. ANDERSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,111,607 Nyberg Sept. 22, 1914 1,299,374 Miller et a1. Apr. 1-, 1919- 1 1,427,074 Davis Aug. 22, 1922 689,758 Shaw Dec. 24, 1901 1,307,945 Welch June 24, 1919 1,945,931 Boyle Feb. 6, 1934 2,090,346 DeVore Aug. 17, 1937 438,856 Muller Oct. 21, 1890 1,037,140 French Aug. 27, 1912. 1,244,320 Gonnella Oct. 23, 1917 1,590,726 Corsgren June 29-, 1926 1,974,012 Busby Sept. 18, 1934 

